"The resilience of Samoa’s healthcare workers I’ll never forget": Senior Clinical Nurse

An Australian Senior Clinical Nurse is thankful for friendship with Samoa's healthcare workers.

Australian Medical Assistant Teams (A.U.S.M.A.T.) Senior Clinical Nurse and Mission Lead Bronte Martin formed a strong friendship with a Senior Nurse Specialist at the Tupua Tamasese Meaole Hospital Patea Natasha Mamea when they had worked together during the 2019 measles outbreak.

According to a statement issued by the Australian High Commission in Samoa, Ms. Martin came to Samoa as the mission lead for A.U.S.M.A.T. to work closely with Samoa’s Ministry of Health (M.O.H.) and develop a plan for how A.U.S.M.A.T. could support Samoa’s response to the 2019 measles outbreak.

This was when Ms. Martin had first met Patea, who according to Ms. Martin was able to show her around the National Hospital at Motootua

Ms. Mamea said in the statement that she and Ms. Martin grew close quickly.

“She’s an emergency and ICU nurse, and I am an operating theater nurse – I learned a lot from her, she’s been a wonderful mentor especially during our measles response. She really helped build my skills and confidence in my work," Ms. Mamea said.

Ms. Martin stated that the lessons learned from the 2019 measles outbreak helped build their COVID-19 planning.

Ms. Mamea added that Ms. Martin had given them the tools that were helpful in preparation of an emergency team.

"And of course, all the lessons we learnt during measles had been the basis of our two-year clinical preparations for COVID-19," Ms. Mamea said.

Their friendship continues today as Ms. Martin continues to provide technical advice and support remotely for Patea and some of the health staff at TTMH.

“The resilience of Samoa’s healthcare workers I’ll never forget," Ms. Martin said.

“Such care and joy even in their darkest hour – it truly was a privilege to work alongside Natasha (Patea) and the rest of the team at TTM.”

According to the statement issued by the Australian High Commission in Samoa, they will continue to work with Samoa and improve the health and wellbeing of all Samoans, and will continue to support the M.O.H. to strengthen Samoa’s health system, now, and into the future.